After The Last Hope
by Spottedmoth123
Summary: "Come on Cinderheart!" Lionblaze purred. "Let's go meet Leafpool's kits!" Cinderheart galloped after her mate, her fluffy tail blowing in the breeze. Lionblaze ducked inside the nursery. Leafpool was curled in her nest with two tiny kits next to her. "This one will be Duskkit. And this one will be Pansykit." the tabby she-cat meowed to her mate. Lionblaze gasped in shock.
1. allegiances

**Okay, so here are the allegiances for the story! I will explain the characters at the bottom **

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LEADER:** BRAMBLESTAR**~dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY:** SQUIRRELFLIGHT**~dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT:** JAYFEATHER**~gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, AMBERPAW**

WARRIORS:

**BRACKENFUR**~golden brown tabby tom

**CLOUDTAIL**~long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**BRIGHTHEART**~white she-cat with ginger patches

**MILLIE**~striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**THORNCLAW**~golden brown tabby tom

**SORRELTAIL**~torotishell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

**SPIDERLEG**~long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

**BIRCHFALL**~light brown tabby tom

**WHITEWING**~white she-cat with green eyes

**POPPYFROST~**tortoishell she-cat

**BERRYNOSE**~cream-colored tom

**HAZELTAIL**~small gray-and-white she-cat

**MOUSEWHISKER**~gray-and-white tom

**LIONBLAZE**~golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**CINDERHEART**~gray tabby she-cat

**FOXLEAP**~reddish tabby tom

**ICECLOUD**~white she-cat

**TOADSTEP**~black-and-white tom

**BRIARLIGHT**~dark brown she-cat

**BUMBLESTRIPE**~very pale gray tom with black stripes

**IVYPOOL**~silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

**CHERRYCLAW**~ginger she-cat with amber eyes

**MOLEFROST**~cream-and-brown tom with amber eyes

**LILYMIST**~pale ginger she-cat

**SEEDFALL**~dark tabby she-cat with white patches

APPRENTICES:

**AMBERPAW**~gray she-cat with white markings and amber eyes. Apprentice Medicine Cat.

**DEWPAW~**gray tom with amber eyes

**SNOWPAW**~white tom with amber eyes

**JAGGEDPAW**~ dark brown - almost black - tom with a jagged left ear

**PANSYPAW~**pure white she-cat

**THISTLEPAW~**spiky-furred brown-and-white tom

**HOLLYPAW~**brown tabby she-cat

QUEENS:

**BLOSSOMFALL**~torotishell-and-white she-cat (mother to Leopardkit, tortoishell she-kit, and Spottedkit, a black, white, and tortoishell patched she-kit)

**ROSEPETAL**~dark cream she-cat (expecting Foxleap's kits)

**DOVEWING**~pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Bumblestripe's kits)

**LEAFPOOL**~light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (expecting Spiderleg's kits)

ELDERS:

**GRAYSTRIPE**~long-haired gray tom

**SANDSTORM**~pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**DUSTPELT**~dark brown tabby tom

**DAISY**~long-furred cream she-cat

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**Okay, so explaining the background of some of the characters:**

*** Cherryclaw, Molefrost, Lilymist, and Seedfall: all earned their Warrior names.**

***Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw: All earned their apprentice names, however Amberpaw became apprentice Medicine Cat.**

***Jaggedpaw: Was found on the WindClan border with small jags in his left ear, so he was named Jaggedkit (paw).**

***Pansypaw, Thistlepaw, and Hollypaw: were all born to Whitewing and Birchfall a few moons after the Last Hope. Thistlepaw is named after Thistleclaw, and Hollypaw is named after Hollyleaf.**

***The fact that Blossomfall is a queen and has kits: Blossomfall and Toadstep became mates and then had two kits: Leopardkit, named after Leopardfoot, and Spottedkit, named after Spottedleaf.**

***The fact that Rosepetal is expecting kits: Rosepetal and Foxleap fell in love after "The Last Hope" (much to Ivypool's displeasure) and they are now expecting kits.**

***The fact that Dovewing is expecting kits: As we all know, at the end of "The Last Hope", Dovewing officially became mates with Bumblestripe, hence, now she is expecting his kits. **

***The fact that Leafpool is expecting kits: Leafpool and Spiderleg (I know it's a weird couple) have both suffered breakups. Now, they have found TRUE love in each other and Leafpool is now carrying his kits.**

***Graystripe, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Daisy: They all became elders for their own reasons - Graystripe is OLD, Dustpelt is OLDER, Sandstorm had a MENTAL BREAKDOWN after Firestar's death, and Daisy...just became an elder. Just cuz.**


	2. Chapter 1 Battle Training

Cinderheart's POV

"Hollypaw! Come here and stop bothering Jaggedpaw!" Cinderheart mewed, calling to her apprentice from where she was sitting with Squirrelflight, whose soft underbelly was just beginning to round with Bramblestar's kits.

"I was just seeing if he needed any help!" a small voice mewed, and Cinderheart turned her head to see the slight brown tabby apprentice trotting toward her.

"Well you can see if he needs any help later, because we're going battle training." Cinderheart mewed, purring when she saw her apprentice's eyes light up.

"Good-bye Cinderheart!" Squirrelflight called after us as we padded out of camp.

Lionblaze's POV

"Stretch farther! You're not fighting mice!" I yowled to my apprentice, Pansypaw.

"I can't do it!" the small white apprentice moaned, collapsing into a heap dramatically.

"Yes you can," Lionblaze mewed, rolling his eyes as he nosed Pansypaw back to her paws.

_Why couldn't I have gotten your brother? _

Lionblaze looked across the clearing to where Moleclaw was training his apprentice, Thistlepaw.

Thistlepaw was crouched down, his eyes narrowed to slits, his haunches taught as he prepared to spring. Then, he leapt into the air, twisted, snapping his jaws in mid-air, before landing back in a crouch, teeth bared, ready to spring again.

"Excellent job!" Moleclaw mewed, turned his gaze to Lionblaze's. "Has Pansypaw mastered the leap-and-twist?" Moleclaw asked, his gaze questioning.

Lionblaze felt his face grow hot but he turned to Pansypaw anyways and growled, "Do it".

Pansypaw looked startled and dropped into a crouch.

Lionblaze began to feel hope as the young apprentice tucked her haunches under her and began to prepare for the move.

He turned to Moleclaw with a look of 'I told you so!', but stopped when he heard a "umph!" and a loud thud.

Lionblaze turned to Pansypaw, rolling his eyes. The white apprentice was sprawled on the ground, backside-up.

Lionblaze turned to Moleclaw, prepared for a virtual beat-down, but Moleclaw and Thistlepaw were hurrying toward Pansypaw.

"Pansypaw, are you okay?" Thistlepaw mewed, fear in his voice.

Lionblaze turned to look at his apprentice once again.

He gasped as he realized that blood was trickling out of the white apprentice's mouth, staining her chest fur red. One of her forepaws was twisted and bent at an awkward angle.

"Moleclaw, go get help!" Lionblaze ordered, his neck fur bristling.

The brown-and-cream warrior turned tail and raced toward the camp.

"Pansypaw, stay with me," Lionblaze mewed, trying to keep his voice calm; to swallow down his fear.

He crouched beside his apprentice, trying to keep her warm.

"Stay with me, Pansypaw!" Thistlepaw wailed, pacing frantically.

Lionblaze stroked the spiky-furred apprentice's flank, trying to sooth him.

Lionblaze tried to shut out the sound of Pansypaw's frantic breathing.

The training hollow had grown dark, and when Lionblaze heard the rustling in the bushes, he crashed into Thistlepaw and the two collapsed onto the ground.

Cinderheart's POV

"Lionblaze, Thistlepaw? What happened?" Cinderheart mewed, her blue gaze searching.

"I…I…we…" Lionblaze stammered, but he stopped as Cinderheart let out a gasp.

"What happened to Pansypaw?" she screeched, and she bolted over to the she-cat. "Stay with me, Pansypaw! We're here!"

The white she-cat made no sound.

Lionblaze's POV

Lionblaze listened hard, searching for the familiar sound of his brother's pawsteps. It was then that he realized what he couldn't hear. Pansypaw had stopped breathing.


	3. Chapter 2 A Ghostly Promise

Cinderheart's POV

"StarClan will honor and accept this apprentice's courageous and cunning spirit and she will be missed in all of the clans"

Cinderheart watched as Bramblestar completed the ceremony, leaping down from the HighLedge to touch noses with Squirrelflight.

"I can't believe she's really dead," Hollypaw choked from beside her.

"She'll be watching you from StarClan" Cinderheart murmured, touching her nose to the tabby's pelt before heading over to where Lionblaze was crouched below the shade of a willow tree.

She settled down beside the golden tom, resting her head on his broad shoulder.

"She loved sitting here, watching her clanmates…. Pansypaw, I mean… and now she's gone…" Lionblaze stammered, a lone tear trickling down his face.

Cinderheart leaned in and licked it off his cheek. "You must stay strong for her," she murmured, wrapping her tail around his.

Lionblaze flinched away. "I'm sorry, Cinderheart. I just need some alone time right now"

Cinderheart dipped her head.

"I understand. I'll be in the warriors den if you would like to talk" she mewed, turning tail, casting one last glance at the clearing where Lionblaze sat hunched again, murmuring to the stars.

Lionblaze's POV

"I'm sorry, Pansypaw. I'm so sorry" Lionblaze murmured, gazing up at the star streaked sky.

"_Don't be sorry."_

A soft voice stirred his ear fur.

Lionblaze spun around, expecting a cat to be standing behind him. But instead, only a soft scent met his nose. He opened his mouth for further evaluation.

There was no mistaking; it was Pansypaw who had just said that. And as Lionblaze watched, he began to see her faint outline. She was looking directly at him.

"_Do not be sorry"_ she said again. _"You will see me again sooner than you think"_

"What do you-" Lionblaze started, but Pansypaw was already fading.

Just then, Dovewing came barreling out of the nursery, her belly swinging with unborn kits. "A tree's falling!" she shrieked. "Clear the camp!"

Lionblaze scrambled to his paws, desperate to find Cinderheart.

"Cinderheart!" he yowled. "Cinderheart, get out!"

He raced into the warriors den. Cinderheart wasn't there. He backed out and raced into the Medicine clearing. Cinderheart was trying to get Seedpaw to her feet. The young apprentice had gone into shock soon after Pansypaw's death, and was still hallucinating.

"Come on, Seedpaw! Get out, a tree's falling!" Cinderheart mewed, turning to Lionblaze. "She won't budge!"

"You go! I'll handle this." Lionblaze mewed, touching Cinderheart's ear with his nose.

"We'll be back together again soon," he murmured.

Cinderheart blinked warmly before turning tail and racing out of the den.

Come on Seedpaw! Hop to your paws!" Lionblaze mewed, nudging the small she-cat. She had been an apprentice for less than two moons and still had the fluffy fur of a kit.

Seedpaw moaned and mewed, "Leave me alone Hollypaw! I don't want to go on dawn patrol!"

Lionblaze's eyes flashed with panic; he was going to have to carry the apprentice out.

Just then, a warning cry came from the cats gathered outside and Cinderheart appeared just outside the den.

"You guys need to hurry-" she started.

"Cinderheart, move!" Lionblaze shrieked, abandoning Seedpaw to barrel into Cinderheart.

His life flashed before his eyes as he watched the tree baring down on them; him, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather as kits, his apprentice ceremony, his warriors ceremony, them figuring out that Squirrelflight wasn't their mother, and finally, just two nights before, Cinderheart agreeing to be his mate.

The tree seemed to go into slow motion and Lionblaze watched as it bared down on them.

Pansypaw's words echoed in his head;

"_Don't be sorry. You will see me again sooner than you think"_


	4. Chapter 3 Unsuspected Suspicions

LIONBLAZE'S POV:

Darkness flooded Lionblaze's eyes as something slammed into his side, sending him skidding across the sandy clearing. His claws caught on the ground as he struggled to a halt.

_Ouch!_

He struggled to his paws and stood, flexing one of his forepaws. A toe was bleeding heavily; he must have snagged his claw on a rock. A stifled moan sounded from the other side of the clearing, and Lionblaze spun around.

_Cinderheart!_

He bounded over to a cluster of cats and pushed his way to the front. Jayfeather's blind eyes focused on him.

"She's not badly injured, but the shock's triggered her to begin kitting early." His brother meowed, stroking the motionless tabby with a small paw.

"She's going to be okay," Cinderheart meowed from Lionblaze's other side.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Lionblaze meowed anxiously, rubbing against his mate.

"I thought we were going to die," Cinderheart admitted, her blue eyes worried. "I hope Leafpool's kits are okay."

"Me too."

CINDERHEART'S POV:

"Is there anything I can do to help, Jayfeather?" Cinderheart asked, padding away from her mate over to where the tabby Medicine Cat was sitting.

"No. We just have to wait." He replied, his blind eyes worried.

As if on cue, Leafpool let out another strangled moan, but this time it was weaker.

"She's becoming unconscious; we have to get the kits out _now_." Cinderheart reported, placing a paw on Leafpool's bloated pelt.

Jayfeather nodded, pushing some herbs in front of Leafpool's face. " Eat these." He murmured softly to his mother.

Leafpool raised her head weakly, her eyes lighting up when she recognized what it was. She gulped the herbs down, and almost immediately her body was seized by a contraction.

Cinderheart watched anxiously as the queen struggled to give birth. Then, the first kit was born.

LIONBLAZE'S POV:

Lionblaze watched as the first kit slid out onto the ground.

_These are my half-siblings!_

Jayfeather darted forward and nipped the kitting sack and a limp gray kit tumbled out. "She's dead." He meowed grimly, setting the first kit aside.

Lionblaze gritted his teeth; hopefully the rest of the kits survived.

"What's going on?" a voice called from the back of the crowd, and Spiderleg bounded through the group of cats to see what the matter was. "Leafpool?" he meowed, shocked, dropping the shrew he was carrying and rushing to his mate's side. "Leafpool, stay with me!" he wailed, burying his nose in his mate's fur. Just then, the next kit arrived.

Once again Jayfeather darted forward to nip the sack, but this time a brown-and-white tabby kit tumbled out. "She's alive." Jayfeather meowed, his eyes full of hope. Turning to Spiderleg, he meowed, "There's one more."

Spiderleg nodded, lying down and supporting Leafpool's head.

"I hope she's okay," a voice mewed softly from behind Lionblaze.

Lionblaze turned to see Cinderheart beside him.

"Do you want to go for a walk with me?" the gray she-cat asked softly, brushing her whiskers on her face.

Lionblaze hesitated, unsure whether he should leave his mother.

"We'll check in on Leafpool when we get back," Cinderheart murmured, twining her tail with his.

"Okay." Lionblaze finally agreed, and the two headed for the bramble tunnel.

CINDERHEART'S POV:

Cinderheart padded beside Lionblaze, their tails still twined. Her small paws sank into the soft sand at the edge of the lake. Soft waves enveloped her paws from time to time, though the water was warm and felt inviting.

"It's beautiful." Lionblaze murmured softly, licking her on the forehead. "You're beautiful."

Cinderheart felt her cheeks grow hot, but she brushed against him.

"I can't wait until our kits are born." Lionblaze whispered in her ear.

Cinderheart gasped in surprise. "How did you-"

"I saw you go into the Medicine Den. And why would you take such a keen interest in Leafpool's kitting if you were not expecting kits yourself?" Lionblaze laughed, stroking her with his tail.

Cinderheart purred, sitting down on the soft sand.

_My stomach isn't even rounded yet. I won't give birth until leaf-bare._

Lionblaze collapsed next to her, dangling his large paws in the warm green-leaf water. "Have you thought of any names yet?" he asked, turning his broad head to his mate.

"Well," Cinderheart started. "I like the name Fallenkit." She purred, touching noses with him.

"And I like the name Rainkit." Lionblaze added.

"We could name one of them Firekit, after Firestar," Cinderheart mewed.

"Or I like the name Sunkit as well," Lionblaze purred.

"So we have plenty of ideas," Cinderheart purred.

"Let's sleep out here." Lionblaze suggested, curling into a ball around Cinderheart.

"An excellent idea." Cinderheart agreed, yawning. "Good-night Lionblaze."

"Good-night Cinderheart." Lionblaze replied.

Cinderheart closed her eyes and was asleep before she could even think of a dream.


	5. Chapter 4 - death

**Here's chapter four! Sorry for such a long wait :(**

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Lionblaze's POV:

Lionblaze padded back into camp, a thrush in his wide jaws.

_I'd better go check on Leafpool; though she did not raise me, she is still my mother and these are still my half-siblings._

Lionblaze quickly dropped his prey on the fresh-kill pile, and then padded over to where Spiderleg was strutting outside of the nursery, his brown chest puffed. Lionblaze padded up to the long-legged tom.

"How is Leafpool?" he asked carefully. When he and Cinderheart had returned from their night together that morning, both Leafpool and Spiderleg had been resting in the nursery.

"She's good." Spiderleg meowed loudly. "Two she-cats and a tom, the best kits this clan will ever have!" he shook his broad head proudly.

Lionblaze felt his heart swell with pride for his mother. "May I go see her?"

Spiderleg narrowed his eyes. "Be quick. She needs rest, you know."

Lionblaze dipped his head, turning towards the nursery. He felt his fur scrape the walls of the entrance as he pushed into the den.

_How did I ever bound out of here without brushing my fur on the brambles?_

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Lionblaze made out a tabby shape lying in a shallow nest, two smaller shapes curled beside her.

"Leafpool?" Lionblaze called out nervously, his fur pricking; something was not right.

The tabby rose her head. "I tried, I really did try!" Leafpool cried out, trembling. "But he was not strong enough!"

Lionblaze became alarmed, stepping forward and sniffing the kits. Two moved when he sniffed them, crying out, but the third, the tom…

_He's dead!_

"I'll get Jayfeather." Lionblaze promised, licking his mother on the forehead before darting out of the den.

Lionblaze darted past Spiderleg, who looked startled. "Jayfeather! Jayfeather, come quickly!"

Jayfeather bounded out of his den, Cinderheart at his side.

"It's the tom-kit, isn't it?"

Cinderheart's POV:

"It's the tom-kit, isn't it?"

Cinderheart felt anxiety pulse off of her mate.

"Yes. Lionblaze croaked, stumbling.

Cinderheart allowed him to lean against him, nuzzling him.

_How could StarClan be so cruel?_

Jayfeather padded into the nursery, and Cinderheart heard Leafpool sobbing from inside. The blind medicine cat emerged a moment later, the tom-kit dangling in his jaws.

_Oh, that poor kit!_

Cinderheart rushed forwards, nuzzling the unmoving shape. She turned to Leafpool, who was watching from the entrance to the nursery. "What's his name?" she asked, her blue eyes flashing in sympathy.

Leafpool dipped her head, pushing forward until she hovered above the unmoving shape. "Thunderkit," she murmured, straightening up. "Named after the brave, strong, and loyal ThunderClan founder."

Cinderheart murmured in agreement, and she heard other cats do the same. She pressed against the grieving queen. "You made a good choice," she murmured.

Lionblaze stepped forward beside his mother and mate. Turning to Leafpool, he meowed, "What are the other two kits names?"

Leafpool's amber eyes brightened a bit. "The dark gray she-kit with a white chest and paws is named Duskkit, and the pale brown tabby she-kit with the white underbelly is named Pansykit," she purred, though it faltered when she looked back at her deceased kit.

Lionblaze let out a startled gasp as he heard the second kit's name, and he turned away, his eyes watering.

Cinderheart pressed forward. "I think those are wonderful names,"

_I hope none of my kits die…._

She shook her head to clear herself of the thought. Turning back to Lionblaze, she forced a purr. "Want to share some fresh-kill?"

' S P O V:

Lionblaze followed Cinderheart over to a corner of the clearing, his thick-furred tail swishing on the ground behind him.

_Why was StarClan so cruel as to take the life of a newborn kit?  
_

He settled down beside his mate, tucking his paws beneath his chest.

Cinderheart bent down and took a bite out of the fresh-kill, chewing slowly. She looked up at him, eyes concerned. "Aren't you going to have anything?"

Lionblaze shook his head. "I'm not really hungry," he tucked his head into his chest.

_I can't get what Pansypaw told me out of my head; _"_Don't be sorry. You will see me again sooner than you think"_

Cinderheart prodded him; she had finished the fresh-kill. "Let's get to our nests," she meowed, concerned.

Lionblaze followed her across the clearing and into the warriors den. He lay down in his nest, though he did not fall asleep until the moon was high up in the sky.

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**Next chapter will be up whenever I finish writing it! Remember to review and favorite/follow!**

**~Spottedmoth123**


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